Method of loading explosives



Patented Apr. 1, 1930 al 1 e r a FREDRIGH OLSEN, OF EAST ALTON,ILLINOIS, AND CLARENCE J'. BAIN, OF DOVER, NEW JERSEY METHOD OF LOADINGEXPLOSIVES No Drawing.

(GRANTED UNDER THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1883, AS AMENDED APRIL 30, 1928; 3700. G. 757) The invention described herein may be manufactured and usedby or for the Government for governmental purposes, Without the paymentto us of any royalty thereon.

5 This invention relates to a method of loading explosives containingammonium nitrate, and more particularly to a method of casting suchexplosives either in the projectile itself or in a suitable mould.

The method heretofore used in loading ammonium nitrate consists in firstadding it to a molten explosive, such as trinitrotoluene in the meltingkettle and then pouring the resulting mixture into the projectile ormould.

In this old method the physical condition of the ammonium nitrate has agreat influence on the condition of the mixture. In order to secure amixture which Will pour Well at a given temperature, it is necessary tovery 2o closely control the crystal size and the percentage of moisture.This uniform physical condition is especially difficult to achieve Withammonium nitrate due to the fact that it is hygroscopic and has atendency to set 25 into a hard mass when in storage.

According to the method of loading herein proposed, advantage is takenof the tendency of ammonium nitrate to set. The material Which has beenin storage or has been received directly from the manufacturer in thefused condition is broken into lumps or pellets of a size larger than 10mesh. Molten explosive, preferably in a predetermined amount, is pouredinto the container and the pellets of ammonium nitrate are then addeduntil the liquid is just sufi'icient to cover them. The unheated pelletsabsorb the heat of the molten explosive and thereby cause the mixture toset in a short period of time.

By this method the ammonium nitrate does not require the carefulpreparation demanded by the former method and, furthermore, it isunnecessary to heat the ammonium nitrate to the temperature of themolten explosive.

lVe claim 1. The method of loading explosives into a container whichconsists in pouring a predetermined amount of a molten explosive intothe container and then adding pellets of ammonium nitrate of a sizelarger than 10 mesh until the liquid and the pellets reach the samelevel.

2. The method of loading explosives into a container which consists inpouring a molten

